Portable landing apron and runway



Au@ 14 1945-' Es. GulGNoN, JR

PORTABLE APRON AND RUNWAY Filed April 15, 1943J 2 sheets-sheet 1 ug. 14,1945. as. GulGNoN, JR

PORTABLE LANDING APRON AND RUNWAY ziiled April 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Q wn w: 5%

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE LANDINGAPRON AND RUNWAY Emile-S. Guignon, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.

Application April 15, 1943, Serial No. 483,169

(ci. :a4-1s) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to landing aprons and runways, and particularlyto portable apparatus of this character, whereby semi-permanent oremergency runways for airplanes may be quickly provided.

Under present war conditions it is often necessary to rapidly transformsoft and marshy elds into runways for planes. Various types of landingaprons have been devised for this purpose, but as far as I am aware, allof these are constructed from critical materials. Sheet steel, thematerial most commonly used, is comparatively heavy and diiicult tohandle in addition to being relatively expensive.

The vprincipal object of this invention is to provide a landing apron orthe like, constructed of non-critical materials that are relatively-light in weight, yet embody sufficient strength to meet the necessaryrequirements for supporting planes of various types. Y

It is a further aim of the invention to provide a portable runway ofparts so inter-related and connected that the surface area of the apronmay be readily increased in either length or width as desired, by addingduplicate parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a landing apron embodyinga limited amount of resiliency for automatically adjusting itself tominor irregularities in the surface over which it is laid.

A yet further aim of the instant invention is the provision of a runwaythat may be doubled or tripled in thickness, yet connected with the samelocking bars used for maintaining a runway of single thickness inassembled condition.

These and other objects of the invention have been accomplished withstructure shown. in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of sections of a runway or apronconstructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, condensed plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 1,portions being broken away to better disclose the construction of therunway.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal vertical secity of superposed apronstogether with standard locking bars. Y

The landing apron or runway is built up of sections, generallydesignated by the numeral III, each of which comprises end rails I2,side rails or locking bars I4, and intermediate rails or bars I6. All ofthese rails are preferably formed of a good grade of seasoned hardwood,such as oak, and end rails I2 are each provided with a dovetailed rib I8corresponding with dovetailed ends 20 formed on bars I6.

A pair of locking strips 22 are provided for interconnecting each endrail I2 and bars I6, tapered edge anges 24 of the strips being adaptedto engage opposite edges of rib I8 and of rail ends 20. Connectingelements 26 of any suitable character may be employed to rmly draw thelocking strips 22 toward each other for clamping the dovetailed portionsof rail I2 and `bars I6 therebetween. Bridging, in the form of dowelrods 28, extended through aligned transverse openings 3l) in rails I6,tends to equalize strains imposed upon the runway when a heavy loadpasses thereover. y

Certain of the dowel rods may further be employed as connecting memberswhen therunway sections are of such extensive length that it isimpractical to use rails I6 which are sulnciently long to reach from oneend rail I2 to another. Under these conditions, it is preferable tointerlace the ends of adjoining lengths or sets of rails I6 which can beaccomplished by reason of the fact that the spacing between a pair ofrails is equivalent to the width of each rail. One set of rails I6 isprovided adjacent yone end with inclined notches 32 adapted to receive adowel rod 28 of another set. The dotted and dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 3of the drawings, clearly illustrate the procedure of engaging andinterlocking one set of rails I6 with another set.

The rails I 6 nearest the side edges of each apron section are providedwith dovetail ribs 34, which are clamped between cooperating pairs oflocking bars I4 suitably grooved as at 40 to each receive substantiallyone-half of a rib 34. Fastening devices 42 are employed to clamp eachpair of bars I4 together.

The locking bar I4 along one side of an apron section is preferablyprovided with a series of spaced apart screw eyes 44, while the oppositeside bar I4 carries a correspondingly spaced series of hooks 46. Arunway of any desired width may thus be readily constructed by engagingthe hooks of one section with the eyes of an adjacent section.

In order to afford adequate traction for vehicles moving over therunway, the upper surfaces of bars I6 are covered with a coating 48 ofany suitable non-skid material, such as a layer of rubber or asphalt andgravel bonded to the surface of the rails.

The apron sections may be laid directly on the surface of the ground oron cross sills 50 depending on the condition and character of thesurface. Where cross sills are used, they should be so arrangedthat theinterlaced portion of adjoining sets of rails I6 `rests on a cross sill,thereby compensating for the weakening of those rails I6 wherein theinclined notches 32 are formed.

In some instances, it may be found desirablel '15 to provide the notches32 adjacentL each endo' rail I6 as shown in Fig. 5. This makes possiblethe interchanging of rails and contributes to 'eX-'- pediting theprocedure of assembling a runway. t,

Where a single layer of apron sections doesl not embody suicientstrength to carry the load imposed thereon, additionat layers can beadded as illustrated in ig- 6. The superpc s ed layers areclarnpedtogether byl means of a pair of locking bars I4 and bolts` 5 ,2I ofsuitable lengthfor drawing the bars together.i

The latter arrangement alsoservesexcellently as a, raft. By adding onelayer upon another, it is possible to obtainwhatever buoyancy may berequired to support a load carried by the raft above the surfaceofnthewater.

It will be clear from the foregoing that a,run way constructed asdescribed, is relatively flexible. The hook and eye connection betweenvside bars of; adjacent sections and :the spaced andinterlacedarrangement ofthe intermediate rails allows the apron toadjust 1 itself to irregularities that may exist in the surface overwhich itis laid.

Theu parts of the apronsections may. bereadily assembled or.disassembled andl sections may. be easilyconnected one toanother toproduce a runway of any desired-width or length.

Itis conceivable that modifications might be made without departing fromthe spirit of this. invention and it isdesiredtherefore, to be limitedonly by4 the scope oftheappended claims.

t Havingvv thus described-the invention, what is` claimed as new anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In apparatus of the character described, a. runway section comprisingside bars; and rails having dovetail ribs; intermediate rails havingdovetailed ends; key strips for engaging opposite edges of said rib anddovetailed ends; and fastening members for drawing the key stripstogether.

2. I nnapparatus of the character described, a. runwaysection'comprising side bars; end rails having dovetail ribs; a seriesofintermediate rails having dovetailed ends; key strips for engaging 45rib.'

opposite edges of said rib and dovetailed ends;

fastening` rnemliersv for drawing the key strips together; and dowelrods extended transversely through saidseries of intermediate rails.

3i apparatus of the character described, a runway section comprisingside bars; end rails; a set of. intermediate rails of uniformI widthspaced `from each other a distance equivalent to the'4 width1 of, one'rail;y a, pair` of, locking` stripsV for vclamping `oi1`e`, ,e'nd,ofsaidset of rails and an; end rail therebetween; af rod` extended`transverselyy through said set of rails adjacent the otherend4 thereof;a` second setofintermediate rails interlaced wtlisaidlirstnamedfset,having downward and'rearwardlyv inclined; notchesadjacent, one end for engagngsadllod; means4 for connecting the`opposite end of` saidjsecond set with the other end rail j, and means4on said sidebarsfor detachably connecting, one,` section to an adjoinfingjsection, saidside bars liavingtheir. endSenf gaged betweenthelocking strips at the endsof the section whereby the side bars aresecured. to the end rails and the interlaced intermediate railsare heldin a common plane.

4; In apparatus ofthe characterdescribed, a runway section comprisingend rails having doveitail ribs; intermediatev rails having dovetaledends; locking strips for connectingA said dovetail ribs and'dovetailedends together; side rails each having( a' dovetail rib fand,apair of, locking V bars for engaging opposite edges [of said last namedf vEMILE s. GUIGNQN, JR.

